Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy The only surprise in Maine’s labor force participation decline is why it took so long to happen Maine’s labor force participation was 64.1% in 2014, down from 65.1% in 2013, according to model-based estimates from the Labor Department released earlier this year. Maine’s 2014 […] Marpheen Chann-Berry Posted March 19, 2015 Tags Employment, Jobs, Unemployment
Maine’s Economy, Taxes and Budget Many non-resident estates would benefit from Governor LePage’s proposed estate tax repeal As I explained previously, Gov. LePage’s proposal to eliminate Maine’s estate tax would exclusively benefit the wealthy. And now, thanks to information provided to the Taxation Committee yesterday […] Marpheen Chann-Berry Posted March 18, 2015 Tags Estate Tax, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Maine’s Economy Federal grants now available for local food initiatives Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today announced the availability of new grants to support local agriculture under legislation she sponsored, the Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act, enacted as […] Mark Sullivan Posted March 17, 2015 Tags Economy, Federal, Local
Health Care Health coverage for thousands of working Mainers at risk in Supreme Court case The Supreme Court heard oral arguments recently in the King v. Burwell case, and a lot is riding on the outcome, especially for Maine. The court will […] Christy Daggett Posted March 16, 2015 Tags Affordable Care Act, Federal, Health Care
Maine’s Economy Mainers dislike payday lenders You know the ones. They flood the TV airwaves and fill your e-mail inbox with ads promising fast, painless cash to tide you over until the next […] Jody Harris Posted March 11, 2015 Tags Consumer Protection, Federal
Education Higher Education Cuts Jeopardize Students' and Maine's Economic Future As lawmakers gather today to review the state’s higher education budgets, they should consider how a lack of investment in education has stifled Maine’s economy. Fifty-seven percent […] Jody Harris Posted March 9, 2015 Tags Education, Higher Education, Student Debt
Maine’s Economy, Taxes and Budget Cutting Taxes on Pensions Won’t Keep Retirees from Moving to Other States The argument that people move between states because of taxes is wildly overblown in contemporary state policy debates. Research on this issue is fairly clear: tax flight just doesn’t […] Marpheen Chann-Berry Posted March 4, 2015 Tags Economy, Tax Breaks, Taxes
Education, Maine’s Economy Maine’s community colleges blaze the trail to prosperity for aspiring Maine workers Today, the presidents of Maine’s three public higher education systems reported to the Legislature on the state of their campuses, enrollments, and finances. The Maine Community College […] Christy Daggett Posted March 3, 2015 Tags Economy, Education, Higher Education
Maine’s Economy, Taxes and Budget We’re Getting Fiscal! More than 70 folks are assembled at Maple Hill Farm Conference Center in Hallowell for MECEP’s Tax and Budget Conference! Nature has given us a (albeit brief) […] Mark Sullivan Posted February 13, 2015 Tags Budget, Taxes
Health Care After Sixteen Years of Progress Reducing Smoking Rates, Maine Shouldn’t Call Off the Fight Maine policymakers mostly have resisted caving into the temptation to spend tobacco settlement funds on other purposes – until now. The governor’s proposed budget would cut $10 […] Christy Daggett Posted February 5, 2015 Tags Health Care